TN Governor visits Salem; DMK-led opposition stages protest

Continuing his district tours, which have come in for criticism from DMK and others, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit today held a review meeting with officials in Salem and inspected implementation of schemes related to Swachh Bharat mission.
Officials made a power-point presentation to the Governor on the district profile and welfare schemes in progress, official sources said.
Purohit also received more than 100 petitions from the general public at the Inspection Bungalow in Salem, about 160 km from here in western Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, various opposition parties, led by DMK, staged a black flag demonstration in front of the district collectorate protesting Purohit's visit to review projects.

Similar protest was staged in Cuddalore last week during the visit of Purohit to the district.
DMK has been claiming that such review meetings held by the governor amounted to interference in the state's autonomy, a charge rejected by the Raj Bhavan and ruling AIADMK besides the BJP.

Purohit, who has so far visited Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Cuddalore districts and held review meetings with officials there, has defended his action saying the tours were undertaken to subserve his Constitutional function.
Today, Purohit visited and reviewed the progress of green house projects and also ration shops in nearby Thindamangalam.
He also inspected toilets constructed under the Swachh Bharat mission. He also reviewed the projects in New Bus Stand in Salem, officials said.

Earlier, the Governor inaugurated a five-day 41st Indian Social Science Congress being held at the Periyar University in Salem.
The conference is being organised by the Indian Social Science Academy in association with the university.
Police said the Governor cancelled his scheduled programme to Tholasampatti in Omalur, about 15 KMs from Salem, to inspect a green house project.